Yellow phosphorus, production

Zhu Senquan, Pretreatment of phosphorite for yellow phosphorus production, Inorganic Chemicals industry, (04)(1979), 21-28. 

Both yellow and red phosphorus ignite on contact with fluorine and chlorine red ignites in liquid bromine or in a heptane solution of chlorine at 0°C. Yellow phosphorus explodes in liquid bromine or chlorine, and ignites in contact with bromine vapour or solid iodine [1]. Interaction of bromine and white phosphorus in carbon disulfide gives a slimy by-product which explodes violently on heating [2], Interaction of phosphorus and iodine in carbon disulfide is rather rapid [3], A less hazardous preparation of diphosphorus tetraiodide from phosphorus trichloride and potassium iodide in ether is recommended [4],... 

According to A. Stock and B. Hoffmann, phosphorus pentasulphide and ammonia at ordinary temp, form a yellow addition product, P2S5.6NH8, and at —20°, a colourless addition product P2S5.7NH3. The hexammine is considered to be ammonium diimidopentathiodiphosphate ... 

When yellow phosphorus burns in an excess of oxygen, the main product is phosphorus pentoxide—possibly mixed with a little red phosphorus. When a considerable quantity of air is passed over phosphorus, the slow combustion which... 

U. J. J. Leverrier exposed to air a soln. of phosphorus in ether or in phosphorus trichloride, washed the product in warm water, and dried it in vacuo over sulphuric acid. The analysis corresponded with phosphorus tetritoxide, P40. B. Reinitzer and H. Goldschmidt obtained a similar product by the action of phosphorus oxychloride on zinc, magnesium, or aluminium at 100°, or on yellow phosphorus at 250°. They added that the substance obtained with yellow phosphorus has the composition of phosphorus tetritoxide, but not its properties. Its properties approximate closely to those of red phosphorus. 

In the preparation of phosphorus tetritoxide by exposing to air for 24 hrs. yellow phosphorus under a layer of phosphorus trichloride, a thick white crust is formed on the surface of the phosphorus and above and below this a yellow layer of a complex with the composition 4P40.3PS05. The phosphorus trichloride is decanted off, the pieces of phosphorus to which the complex adheres are separated from one another and put into water. The complex dissolves in water, forming a yellow soln. which is poured off from the phosphorus. At 80°, the product decomposes into phosphorio acid, and yellow flakes of a hydrated phosphorus suboxide of unknown composition. 

P. Lemoult obtained phosphorus trisiodomercuriate, P(HgI)8, by the action of phosphine, diluted with hydrogen or carbon dioxide, on a dil, soln. of potassium iodomercuriate. The product is washed and dried in vacuo. It is slowly decomposed by warm water and rapidly by alkali-lye. Nitric acid and aqua regia decompose it violently. F. Venturoli prepared "yellow phosphorus iodobisiodo-mercuriate, I.P (Hgl)2, by the action of phosphorus on an alcoholic soln. of potassium iodide. The product is decomposed by heat into phosphorus, and mercurous and mercuric iodides. 

There are three allotropic forms of elemental phosphorus white, red, and black phosphorus. At room temperature, pure white phosphorus is a tetrahedral crystal with a molecular formula of P4. In the pure form, white phosphorus is an ivory-colored, waxy solid. The commercial product is 99.9% pure and may have a slightly yellow color. In the literature, the commercial product is often referred to as yellow phosphorus. In this chapter, the terms white phosphorus and phosphorus are used to refer to P4, which includes white and yellow phosphorus. 

White Phosphorus. White phosphorus does not naturally occur in the environment. It has been manufactured in the past for use in such products as matches, fireworks, pest poisons, and incendiary munitions. It is primarily in the manufacture and use of these products where human exposure has occurred. White phosphorus is also commonly called yellow phosphorus. 

Phosphorus trichloride. The main raw stock for the production of phosphorus trichloride is yellow phosphorus obtained from phosphorite, quartzite and coke ... 

Tomkinson and Barker20 describe the product formed by heating sodium and red phosphorus as a grey mass, which reacts violently with water, yielding spontaneously inflammable hydrogen phosphide. They also state that under suitable experimental conditions sodium reacts with yellow phosphorus to form a white, crystalline product. 

An interesting reduction of aromatic nitro compounds which uses glucose in an alkaline medium (equation 7) has received little attention. The advantages of this reaction include high yields, rapid rate and ease of product isolation from oxidation by-products. Other reagents which bring about the reduction of nitroanenes to azoxy compounds include potassium borohydride, sodium arsenate, phosphine and yellow phosphorus. Electrolytic methods have also been utilized. ... 

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